Heat cancels games in Baltimore City, County and Howard County

Baltimore City and Baltimore County public schools closed two hours early Wednesday because of the heat, so all games are postponed and all practices are canceled.

Also, with Howard County experiencing a Code Red heat index, all outside athletic events in the jurisdiction have been canceled Wednesday.

Because some schools in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County do not have air conditioning, officials close schools when the heat index rises into the upper 90s. The temperature is expected to rise into the mid-90s this afternoon and the heat index had already jumped over 100 by noon.

Whenever schools close, regardless of the reason, after-school activities are postponed or canceled.

Today's cancelations will have no effect on Thursday's Baltimore County varsity football games, which were already moved up a day because Yom Kippur begins Friday night.